Iran has reopened its airspace following a closure of almost five hours. As a result, this disruption forced most major U.S. airlines to cancel, reroute or significantly delay flights. The closure occurred on Wednesday at 10:15 PM GMT, limiting air traffic to only those with official permission. The reopening comes at a time of increased national tension and civil disorder. The wrongdoers included Iran’s US-based Human Rights Activists news agency, which reported that due to the regime’s repression of protests, the death toll reached a tragic 2,571.
This time, the game-changer has come in the form of former U.S. President Donald Trump. Writing in the WashPost, the State Department’s Richard Nephew explained that he’d received assurances guarantees violence against protesters in Iran would cease. Trump called for a pause on any promised U.S. military action against Iran, favoring the easing of fears of heightened regional unrest. “They’ve said the killing has stopped and the executions won’t take place,” Trump noted during a public address.
With international pressures mounting amidst Iran’s historic protests, many governments have begun urging their nationals to leave. The U.S., Germany, and Spain have issued warnings, while India has urged its nationals—including students and tourists—to leave by any available means, including commercial flights. India’s embassy in Tehran stressed the urgency of this evacuation, suggesting the imminent danger.
As a precautionary measure, some U.S. and UK personnel have been evacuated from other locations throughout the Middle East. This precedent-setting decision comes at a time with escalated security fears. The Iranian government is now claiming credit for having arrested over 18,100. This intensified campaign against protests started many months ago.
Nevertheless, even amidst this heavy turmoil, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi assured that the situation is “under control.” He vigorously pushed for diplomatic outreach with the U.S. “We have everything under control, and let’s hope that wisdom prevails and we don’t end up in a situation of high tension that would be catastrophic for everyone,” he remarked.
Tensions between the U.S. and Iran would appear to be thawing. Perhaps the most important aspect of this new development is Trump’s tempered tone towards Tehran—that’s a big turn from his bombastic warmongering—so far. He expressed uncertainty regarding Iran’s internal politics and leadership acceptance, stating, “I don’t know how he’d play within his own country.”
At the same time, alarming reports have emerged about AI-generated videos allegedly showing protests in Iran. In their statement, researchers indicated that hyper-realistic deepfakes have flooded social media platforms. For users, those efforts are further complicated by the information void created by weeks of internet restrictions across the country.
The family of Erfan Soltani, the first Iranian protester sentenced to death amid the ongoing unrest, has been given some good news. State officials have delayed his execution three times so far. This announcement is particularly welcome news given the ongoing reports of mass executions in the pipeline by the Iranian regime, which Trump has been monitoring. “There were supposed to be a lot of executions today and that the executions won’t take place – and we’re going to find out,” he added.
Around the world, the international community continues to keep a close eye on the situation as it develops in Iran. James Younessi is a Nuclear Age Peace Foundation Member/Advocate for Peaceful Resolution. He expressed deep concern about foreign interference in Iran’s sovereignty while stressing the humanitarian need to save lives. I do not want Iran to be bonded to any foreign country as soon as someone intervenes. Younessi even went as far as to promise that they would stop the bloodshed. If measured response is what it takes to save even one, that’s the course they will take.